I have had WellCare Value Script for a couples years and keeping it. Low premiums and most scripts are free.

Remember that insurance is just that - insurance. Not prepaid care. For a given plan, the insurance company can accurately estimate what its claims costs will be based on past history of the coverage pool. The premium charged is enough to cover expected claims, plus administrative costs, plus provide a profit element. Within the constraints of what competitors charge for similar plans.

The key is to do enough analysis to be able to reasonably pick the right coverage that provides what you need and not more or less.

The risk with the least expensive plans is that they're oriented to providing generics. And not always "authorized generics", the description of which lindsey provided not too long ago. Too many of the lowest cost generics come from Third World country companies and aren't of the same quality as top drawer drugs. But also not the same cost. The attitude that "a pill is a pill" isn't true. Know what you take and be sure that you and your doc monitor and test when appropriate to be sure that the pharmaceuticals you get are providing the intended medical results.

We are with a retirement supplemental plan through Blue Shield offered through DH's past employer. The prescriptions are included with a small co pay just as always. We can choose to pay more or less depending on whether we use generics or not so choice is still there. Highest co pay for name brand drugs has been well under twenty dollars. Most co-pays are under 10.00. DH needs a lot of meds so having access is important to us.

What surprised me was that this year our monthly portion of the premiums went down by around 35 dollars. Looking over the plan nothing was removed and nothing else went up. In fact they added vision exams (but not glasses) which was not on last years plan. I am satisfied.

What I or anyone else has for a Part D won't make a bit of difference to you. There are a number of factors used in determining what plan is best for you. Your location will play apart in all this. Then the medications that you take. Then the drug stores near you. Go to the Medicare website and plug in this information, and you;ll see the differences. For my Rxs, for example, some local chains are much more expensive than others, just doen the street.

So asking if someone likes this plan or that one really has no relevance for you. And you don't need a sales agent, just plug the info into the Medicare website.

The Medicare website is where I found the two plans I'm considering. I typed in my zip code, but I don't have any medications to input. I know from the years when my husband took thyroid hormone that different drug stores charge different prices for the same prescription. Sushipup, are you saying different insurance plans have different preferred pharmacies? That would make sense, but I didn't see anything on the website about it. I suppose I could call the two companies and find out that way.

Thanks for the responses. My Medicare supplement is AARP United Health Care, which I see no reason to change, but I've changed my Part D many times.

Yes, different pharmacies and different drug companies all make separate deals with the insurance companies, and they change contracts every single year.

Yes I used the Medicare website. It does tell the preferred pharmacy under the details. I had picked out the ones I thought were good but it was very beneficial to have the advice of someone much better versed in the information and since there is no cost it was a benefit to me. She was able to point out a few things that I was unaware of. It's a difficult and different experience for everyone, each of us should be able to decide what we choose to do.

I was surprised to find that CVS and Walgreens were not preferred but Kroger and HEB were. That's with the Wellcare. I currently use Kroger.

I don't have Kroger or HEB here. We have CVS, RiteAid, and Walmart. I use Walmart.

I looked at the website again, but I still don't see preferred pharmacies. Maybe it would show up if I put a drug or two in.

We have Humana drug coverage. Neither of us takes anything expensive. Our premiums are $32.10 this coming year, exactly the same as I paid last 12 months. New coupon books just arrived. The little we do take, I have filled at a privately owned rexall pharmacy - same pharmacist we have used all our adult lives. Old fashioned service. I pay when we pick up, but they will bill monthly if asked. They deliver no fee to either a workplace or home, although I have yet to ask for that courtesy ...who knows, one day I may need to, be too sick to go out ;0)

Yes, try putting in a couple of common medications and test the pharmacy part of the website.

That was interesting. I learned that Walmart is a preferred pharmacy for the AARP plan, whereas the WellCare plan prefers CVS. If I had to purchase medications regularly this would tip the balance in favor of AARP, since Walmart is so convenient for me. But since I hope (!) I won't fill prescriptions very often, it's not a big deal.

I also learned one of WellCare's preferred pharmacies is in the Weis supermarket chain, and they charged less than the preferred CVS for the drugs I stated. That was a surprise. I've never paid much attention to the little pharmacy in Weis. Not surprising was Walmart coming in with the lowest price of all when it's a preferred pharmacy.

Life is complicated. :-)

We have access to licensed health insurance advisers (brokers) through my DH's former employer. After I ran the numbers on the Medicare Part D site, I called these people to verify my understanding of the two different plans I had selected for us. They could tell me nothing about the one I selected for myself because...it's not one that they 'broker'. So -- I wouldn't rely on just what one broker offers.

Mutual of Omaha is new in our area in 2020. I enrolled in their Value Part D plan because it was among the cheapest when combining the cost of the premium and the cost of my meds. (Advair is my big expense at $450 retail per month.) I'm OK with their preferred pharmacy being CVS. I'll pay $22.80/month premium, and a total of $1232/month average out of pocket including known meds. (My 2019 Part D plan with United was completely overpriced for 2020 when I ran the numbers on the Medicare guide.) My 2020 Part D card arrived in the mail within two weeks of our October enrollment sign-ups; impressive.

DH has so few meds that he rarely exceeds the deductible, so a low premium is a goal for him. (Nearly all Part D plans in our area have a $435 deductible in 2020.) He'll have WellCare Select Part D for 2020. Premium is $15.50/month; total with meds averages $249/month. (He also has to pay an $8 penalty in addition to this, dating from when he did not take a Part D plan the first year it was required.) We're OK with this CVS plan. His Part D card has yet to arrive -- despite two letters confirming enrollment; not impressive.

We choose to have premiums paid by deduction from our Soc. Sec. benefits. No coupons. No direct withdrawal from bank account.